Ask the Experts: How Do I Make My Resume Stand Out?

Your resume is a snapshot of your most impressive professional accomplishments. That’s a lot of pressure! It’s worth putting in the time to make it perfect.

TSP recruiters review thousands of resumes every year. Here are their tips to help yours stay on top of the pile.

Shawn Kerek: Make sure the content is achievement-based. You don’t want it to read like a job description. Include projects you’re a part of, awards, and any other accomplishments.

Shawn has 10 years of recruiting experience, currently specializing in commercial searches.

Katlyn Young: Ask someone else to read through your resume for typos. If you just check it yourself, you’ll miss something every time.

Katlyn has five years of recruiting experience, including life sciences, sales, and IT.

Sarah Holecko: Numbers make your experience more tangible. Writing that you led a team and were successful in completing projects is fine, but it’s better to include that it was a team of 20, your project lasted six months and you increased sales by 13 percent.

Tony Julian: Consistency in formatting is important. Too many resumes will have one piece of experience that looks really polished, but the others use a different font or look completely different. It should all be consistent.

Tony has 11 years of recruiting experience, including five in life sciences.

Blake Tan: Make sure the dates for each place of employment are clear. At best, incorrect dates won’t line up with what you’re saying in the interview, and we’ll waste time clarifying while we’re on the phone. At worst, it damages your credibility.

Blake has four years of recruiting experience, including the life sciences industry and temporary staffing.

Are you currently on the job hunt? Reach out to our recruiters listed above, or head to TSP's LinkedIn to view open positions!

Nikki worked for three years in a communications office after graduating from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University with a bachelor's in journalism. She takes painting and drawing classes in her spare time. Nikki lives in Seattle, Washington and desperately wants to get a dog.